Mobile esports has skyrocketed in popularity worldwide as it breaks down the barriers of entry to competitive gaming. Brazil, a key player in this landscape, has embraced mobile gaming with open arms and has seen exponential growth in both its player base and greater esports ecosystem.
Mobile esports has been on a meteoric rise over the past few years. Thanks to advancements in smartphone technology, high-speed internet, and the creation of thousands of grassroots-level events, taking part in the competitive scene has never been more accessible for the casual gamer.
Player habits in regions such as Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America, where PC and console gaming are less common than mobile gaming, show the explosive growth of mobile gaming and thus mobile esports.
One country with a sprawling community of mobile gamers is Brazil. According to the Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2024, a total of 115 million Brazilians play games – 75% of which play on mobile. This number has been on the rise since 2015 and is projected to double by 2027. The popularity of mobile gaming has reached the point where the majority of players game on their phones daily.
The domestic gaming market is expected to grow in tandem with the country’s expanding player base. For 2024 alone, the market is forecasted to generate more than $2.7 billion, with $1.31 billion of that amount just from mobile gaming.
It’s impressive to note that this community of gamers is extremely involved with the national and international esports scene. In a survey conducted by Pesquisa Game Brasil, 82.1% of Brazilian gamers have heard about esports, and 66.2% follow or watch gaming competitions.
If you keep up with the esports scene, then this data won’t come as a surprise as Brazil boasts arguably one of the most passionate fan bases in the world. Whether it be an event hall or a stadium, you can feel a roar of support that the numbers don’t exactly do justice to.
And, it’s for a good reason that professional players have the backing of the entire country. Over the years, Brazil has witnessed hundreds of casual players turn pro as they climbed through the ranks to the very pinnacle of flagship esports tournaments in games such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
A mobile game that the nation has had tremendous success in is Free Fire. The nation has regularly seen entries into competitions such as the Snapdragon Pro Series and the Free Fire World Series. Teams such as Fluxo, paiN Gaming, and Corinthians have left their mark in the history books.
The hype and competitiveness speak to the desire from the nation’s mobile esports circle and the wider gaming community to see not only their compatriots but other international names competing with the best of the best teams and players. After all, they’re one of their own – a fellow gamer who has the same burning passion for the game they all love.
Overall, mobile esports in Brazil has reached a new level in recent times where the excitement is as palpable as it is in mainstream esports. There is no telling the heights this country will reach in this space as the community grows, support increases and more competitions are organized.